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Before vs. After

Saturday, 24 December 2011

I just wanted to share some Chizuk I found over Shabbos in Nesivos Shalom (Beraishis pg 213-14, Inyan Yaakov and Eisav).

In Avodas Hashem we need recognize the severity of Chet, and how far away Chet removes us from HKB"H. One should recognize that he's trading in the closeness of Elokim Chaim for crude, disgraceful lusts. But that's the attitude one should have BEFORE the Chet. If one already succumbed to Chet and had a fall, the attitude should be the reverse - HKB"H does not want us to be distant and rejected. His uttermost desire is for us to come back, and we should try and find the way to find Him. Through that, He will set us back on our feet and return us to the spiritual level we were at before we fell.

However, Eisav's ilk, "Klipas Eisav", seeks to reverse our attitudes. First he's "Achicha" - your brother, then he's "Eisav" - the notorious Rasha. Before the Chet, the Yetzer Hara has you thinking that what you're about to do is really fine, Mutar, and that you won't be distanced from HKB"H. He offers his brotherly support and encouragement. After the fall, he shows his true colors and seeks to break your spirit saying that you're a lost case, banished from this world and the next - and that there's no way to repair and return. Yaakov's solution to this threat is "V'Yachatz..." - to split into two camps - to apply the two attitudes - (1) to see the severity of Chet before the fall, and (2) to see the opportunity we have after a fall, to pick ourselves up and return to our prior Madreigos.

 

Listen also to this 5 minute audio clip from Rav Shafier.